Lombardo covers business aviation maintenance-related issues. He is also a writer and on-air reporter for AINtv. He has over 3000 articles published and is the author of several books on aircraft systems for pilots and on the topic of flight simulation.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from the University of Illinois, has taught aviation for over 35 years in industry and as a university professor and academic dean at three different universities. He is also a frequent seminar and after-dinner motivational speaker.&nbsp;
Lombardo holds an A&amp;P Certificate, ATP, CFI and Ground Instructor ratings. He was a corporate pilot and was a research pilot and flight instructor at the University of Illinois. An FAA Safety Counselor for over 25 years, he was one of the original 13 Counselors appointed to the FAA’s Airworthiness Safety Program for maintenance technicians.&nbsp;

Contributor

David A. Lombardo

Agusta A109K2, Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 10, 2003–Life Flight 6 was destroyed, its instrument-rated commercial pilot and flight paramedic killed and a flight nurse seriously injured when the helicopter crashed at approximately 8:50 p.m. MST while attempting to maneuver in dense fog near Salt Lake City. N601RX was owned and operated by IHC (Intermountain Health Care) Health Services of Salt Lake City. 
Night IMC prevailed throughout the area for the Part 91 flight, which was operating on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City at 8:31 p.m. and was en route to Wendover, Utah, to pick up a patient who had been injured in an auto accident. 
According to ATC, after crossing the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) on a westerly heading, the pilot encountered deteriorating visibility and elected to return to the hospital. The pilot was unable to obtain a clearance to cross the airport on an easterly heading and was asked to hold west of the airport until Salt Lake arriving traffic was clear. While holding, the pilot encountered IMC and declared an emergency. The controller issued a heading of 340 degrees to vector the helicopter to SLC. No reply was received from the helicopter and a search was initiated. 
At approximately 9:30 p.m. the helicopter wreckage was located by rescue personnel half a mile southwest of the approach end of SLC Runway 34L. The aircraft initially hit a soft field on a magnetic heading of 150 degrees, became airborne, and then came to rest in the upright position approximately 1/4 mile from the initial impact. There was no post-impact fire. The SLC airport weather at the time was winds from 350 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of a 1/8 mile in fog, with a vertical visibility (VV) of 200 feet.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Preliminary Report: Emergency medical helo loses control in IMC

Agusta A109K2, Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

David Jack Kenny

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Preliminary and final accident reports, November 2024

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: November 2024

Gordon Gilbert

Fatal accidents were down year over year from 12 to 10

Year-to-date Bizav Accidents Decline

Matt Thurber

Aircraft touched down on the runway then departed onto a grassy area

Passenger Lands King Air C90 after Pilot Medical Issue

Mark Huber

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Black Hawk had landed on a private airstrip that was also a snowmobile trail

Snowmobiler Who Collided with Army Helo Awarded $3.3M

All five passengers drowned after autorotation into NYC's East River

Jury Awards $116M in Doors-off Helitour Crash

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

More In Accidents

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: November 2024

Preliminary and final accident reports, November 2024

Year-to-date Bizav Accidents Decline

Fatal accidents were down year over year from 12 to 10

Passenger Lands King Air C90 after Pilot Medical Issue

Aircraft touched down on the runway then departed onto a grassy area

Snowmobiler Who Collided with Army Helo Awarded $3.3M

Black Hawk had landed on a private airstrip that was also a snowmobile trail

Jury Awards $116M in Doors-off Helitour Crash

All five passengers drowned after autorotation into NYC's East River

NTSB: Poor Pilot Training, Monitoring Led to Fatal C90 Accident

Pilot also violated company's sterile cockpit rules

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: October 2024

Preliminary and final accident reports, October 2024

No Solid Clues Why Citation Didn’t Climb before Crash

Witness said the engines didn't sound normal on takeoff

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN